Fly With Me

 

White-faced ibises.

A White-faced Ibis Bathing

 

For many years, I’ve watched the White-faced Ibis meticulously preen its feathers and admired its beauty and strength in flight. Yet, I have never witnessed it bath - until recently.

Just a few weeks ago, I was lucky enough to observe this rare moment. 

 

Emerging from the water, the bird shook itself with such vigor that a cascade of sparkling splashes surrounded it. Soaked and ruffled, it looked adorably disheveled—charming in a way I’d never seen before.

When the bathing was over, the ibis, soaked wet, its feathers clinging to its body, walked slowly toward the shore ready to dry off in the warmth of the sun.

Generally, life is good.

Great Egret Watches White-faced Ibises

 I found this moment funny and curious.

Generally, life is good.

 

White-faced Ibis is Preening

 

Usually ibises find the most unsightly marshes, but on that October morning several of them wandered into a marshy place where the grass was painted in colorful autumn colors.

The ibis above stopped for a couple of minutes to clean itself. A typical morning procedure that is always interesting to watch.

Generally, life is good.

On the Wings

 

American White Pelicans.

White-faced Ibis.

Running Western Grebe.

American White Pelican.

Generally, life is good.

Gathering

The Bear River residents often gather together in the morning.  One of the moments during the gathering one group made me smile. A White-faced Ibis was surrounded by American Avocets and Black-necked Stilt.  The ibis looked very much like a "preacher".

Now this is quite a large crowd, which pushed the "preacher" aside.

Generally, life is good.

Past the Moon - II. Finale

I wish there would be at least a few ifs that day; the sky would not be dark and stormy, the flying White Faced Ibises would form perfect lines and fly past the moon beautifully but most of the time this did not happen.

After reviewing all my photos of the birds and the moon I chose two more photos that looked more or less decent and said goodbye to the rest.

Generally, life is good.

Past the Moon

 

This morning during sunrise the light was constantly changing. Sometimes the clouds covered the moon and completely hid it behind them but it did not last long; the first rays of the sun did not take long to arrive.

Flocks of White-faced ibises were heading east. I waited for them to fly past the moon. Luckily, this happened twice!

The moment when the moon is half behind the clouds and the sky is dark, but the moon emits light giving a nice contrast.

Generally, life is good.

Ordinary Story

 

These moments were supposed to be about the American Avocet and they weren't that special until a White-faced Ibis walked by and made the whole story more interesting.

  

Ibis and Avocet share one space pretending that they are alone there.

It's time to go fishing.

Apparently, this is a very popular spot for fishing.

Generally, life is good.

Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge's 96th anniversary

 

The Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge celebrated its 96th anniversary today, as well as Earth Day.  

The gate to D-Line was opened for four hours and my adventure began on the narrow dirt road and ended up in the small town Perry. 

The scenery along D-Line was beautiful and marshes attracted many birds such as coots, cormorants, ibises, yellow-headed black birds and others. 

Yellow-headed blackbird.

White-faced ibis.

Generally, life is good.

Notes to Self.

 

This evening, returning home from Bear River MBR, I thought about my life which right now full of confusion and tension.  Thoughts are mostly sad, no inspiration, no new ideas.

And suddenly insight that thoughts are sad because I let them be sad, inspiration never completely goes away, it comes and goes. 

Ideas?... Everyone has ideas every day and some of them are just great.  

It was getting dark when I stopped my car and got out.  The White-faced Ibises were flying to their night roost and they were so beautiful.

Life goes on.

November Sketches

 

Today the Bear River pleasantly surprised me. I was sure that immature White-faced Ibises have already migrated but they were on Bear River despite the fact that the nights are frosty and the river is covered partially with ice.

Rough-legged Hawks have already arrived for wintering.

Life goes on.

Notes to Self. A Mantra

 

                                                                Sunrise at Bear River MBR.  July, 2022.

While writing this post I thought that this morning, here and now, is where my life is.

This moment is my life.  And I will try not to think about what the day will bring.  I will try to immerse myself fully into that moment.

I have never created mantras.  I have never tried to meditate on them.  Perhaps, I should borrow one of Omar Khayyan's mantras and repeat it often, This moment is your life. Be grateful for this moment.

Life goes on.

All Together

In cold windy weather, birds usually hide in the thickets, but on that day a small group of Black-necked Stilts gathered together and wasn't going hide from the wind.  They were patiently waiting for the wind to die down when suddenly, out of nowhere appeared a White-faced Ibis and crashed into the group. 

Luckily, the Ibis landed a little further from the group not disturbing Stilts.

Apparently, the Black-necked Stilts and American Avocet weren't happy sharing the space with Ibis and took off into the wind almost immediately after he landed.  

To shoot in low light on a windy overcast days sucks. Most of my photos were blur but a few came out sharp enough to share them here.

Generally, life is good!

White-faced Ibises

 

While other ibises were busy foraging the Ibis on the photo above was preening.  With ruffled feathers on the head the bird looked so touching and a little bit funny.

A White-faced Ibis... Actually, his face isn't white, the bird has a bare patch of dark pink skin around its eyes which is bordered in white.

Generally, life is good!

Escaping a Rain Storm

I was leaving the Bear River when I saw a flock of White-faced Ibises flying toward me. Then in a few seconds later another flock flew past and behind it another flock.  I have never seen anything like it before and didn't have a clue why Ibises were heading in flocks west? 

What I didn't know that birds sense a rain storm before it starts.  The Ibises flew with the wind very low trying to get as soon as possible to their shelters.    

When birds are flying low to the ground it's a sign of a storm approaching.  In this case it was a rain storm.  The pressure dropping in the atmosphere from oncoming storm made Ibises uncomfortable flying high up in the sky.

Ibises will find the shelter in bushes, reeds or somewhere else where they would feel safe.

 

The rain storm came unexpectedly. Ibises knew that it was coming, I didn't.

When it started to rain and the wind became vicious, I got into my car hoping that I would get to the paved road very quickly. 

Generally, life is good!

Franklin's Gull is Getting on Ibises' Territory

You never know what to expect when you come on someone's territory.  The best you will be ignored, the worst  you will be chased away. This Franklin's Gull didn't get a welcome greeting after he landed among the White-faced Ibises.

After the landing the Gull tried to stretch but how can you do it when someone  bigger and stronger is towering over your head with an open bill. 

It's time to establish your territory and show how annoyed and angry you are. Unfortunately, it didn't work well. The Ibis simply ignored the Franklin's Gull. 

And then something caught the Gull's attention in the water.  I have no idea what it was. The Gull kept her find for a while, twisted it from time to time and then dropped.

Generally, life is good!

Juvenile White-faced Ibises Who Weren't Skittish

Lately photographing White-faced Ibises wasn't fun.  There was a time when I wanted to say to them, "Guys, you are the whole summer at Bear River and nobody bothered or hurt you and you are still skittish". 

Then one day I saw the flock of juvenile Ibises who were leaving the marsh but luckily the two brave ones decided to stay.  The Ibises were a little bit funny, very busy and amazing.

To preen all those beautiful feathers is time consuming  but it has to be done for the sake of being healthy and attractive.

These birds are very elegant even when they are scratching themselves .

  

Still preening himself while standing on one leg.  His another leg tucked under his feathered body to keep the leg warm and reduce the heat loss. That early morning was very cool.

Another close up of Juvenile White-faced Ibis.

 

I took many photos of these two juvenile Ibises and had a difficult time to decide which photos I would display here. Some photos I decided to keep for memories, others I found more interesting.   Here they are.

Generally, life is good!